Storage volume handling system which utilizes disk images
First Claim
1. A system for accessing computer-readable files stored on a source device, by a plurality of target computers comprising:
- meansa controller for creating a disk image of the source device, wherein said source device is a physical storage volume on which said computer-readable files to be accessed by said plurality of target computers are located, and for storing said disk image on a storage device that is accessible to said plurality of target computers, wherein said disk image is a virtual representation of said physical storage volume such that it includes volume format information that reflects the format of said physical storage volume, and which enables said disk image to be mounted at each of said plurality of target computers; and
a disk image driver at each of said plurality of target computers, having access to file format information which enables said target computers to read files, which exhibit different file formats, contained on said disk image, and wherein the image driver includes an index that identifies correspondence between address locations in the storage volume and address locations in the disk image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disk images, and the like, are used to emulate storage volumes for the distribution of computer software. An image of a data storage volume, such as a hard disk drive, is stored in a file having a format that enables it to exhibit a behavior which is the same as the storage volume itself. The image files are accessed by means of an associated driver which can support a variety of different file system protocols, thereby permitting the files themselves to be independent of the format requirements of particular file systems. The data in the image file can be compressed in a manner such that a storage volume being emulated appears to be of a specified size, while actually requiring less space to store its contents. With these properties, the image files can be mounted in the manner of a hardware storage device, and large files can be readily transmitted and downloaded in an electronic format. Since the files are preserved in their original form, end-to-end verification remains possible, to ensure the integrity of the downloaded files. Multiple images can be combined into a single tome, for installation at a remote site using a one-button approach.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for accessing computer-readable files stored on a source device, by a plurality of target computers comprising:
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meansa controller for creating a disk image of the source device, wherein said source device is a physical storage volume on which said computer-readable files to be accessed by said plurality of target computers are located, and for storing said disk image on a storage device that is accessible to said plurality of target computers, wherein said disk image is a virtual representation of said physical storage volume such that it includes volume format information that reflects the format of said physical storage volume, and which enables said disk image to be mounted at each of said plurality of target computers; and a disk image driver at each of said plurality of target computers, having access to file format information which enables said target computers to read files, which exhibit different file formats, contained on said disk image, and wherein the image driver includes an index that identifies correspondence between address locations in the storage volume and address locations in the disk image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for providing a remote computer access to files stored on a source device, comprising the steps of:
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creating a disk image of said source device, wherein said source device is a physical storage volume which contains said files to be accessed by said remote computer, and wherein said disk image is a virtual representation of said physical storage volume in that said disk image includes volume format information that reflects the format of said physical storage volume; generating a script file which includes an identification of said disk image; launching said script file at said remote computer; and mounting, at said remote computer, the disk image identified in said script file using a disk image driver that has access to volume format information which is needed to mount files, exhibiting different file formats, on the disk image, and wherein the image driver includes an index that identifies correspondence between address locations in the storage volume and address locations in the disk image. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification